cotija, black bean, and mango casserole

Lately I have been analyzing- probably over-analyzing- why it is that I blog.

One reason is to document, in words and photos, our life while the kids are young. Since I average about five hours of sleep per night, it will be nice to have reminders of the days I can't remember.
Another reason is the community. I love learning about other people's lives through their blogs, and sharing my life through my own.

Yet another reason I come back to blogging over and over is that this blog serves as a recipe index for me. Just in the past few weeks I have come back to several recipes, including: Vietnamese baguettes, dutch baby pancakes, granola bars and these quesadillas. In fact, I have been craving the quesadillas, but I needed a more family-friendly version.

Quesadillas are not so "family-friendly" because in the midst of filling sippy cups, tearing food into tiny pieces, setting the table, stuffing one large baby into a high chair, making sure little boy hands are washed, and hollering at Lane that dinner is ready, I don't really have time to stand over a stove and cook four individual quesadillas.

With this casserole, all I have to do is assemble the ingredients and let the oven do its magic.

Cotija, black bean, and mango casserole

1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 cup crumbled cotija + another 1/2 more for top
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
9 corn tortillas
lime wedges
cilantro, for topping
cooking spray

Combine the mango, red onion, sour cream, and 1 cup of the cotija in a bowl. Set aside.
Spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange two tortillas side by side on the bottom of the dish, and cut up a third tortilla to fit in the gaps. Spread half the mango mix evenly over the tortillas, then top with another layer of three tortillas. Repeat with the remaining mango mixture and the last three tortillas. Crumble the remainig 1/2 cup cotija over the top layer of tortillas.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, or until cotija is beginning to brown over the top. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy.

summer polenta with bacon

I have never mentioned this, because this is used to be a food blog, but I have some, err, well, undiagnosed stomach... issues...

Anyway, the only reason I have brought this up is because I am experimenting with various elimination diets to attempt to eliminate the issues. Currently, sadly, I am gluten free.

I am trying to be optimistic and looking at this as a new culinary challenge and adventure. I get to experiment with barley, oats, corn products, buckwheat (which, apparently, isn't actually wheat at all), and spelt. (Well, maybe spelt. There is something weird about spelt. Any advice on it is much appreciated.)

All this gluten-free business better help my G.I., because I am sure as heck not giving up cheese.

Summer Polenta with Bacon
polenta recipe from Giada

tsp salt
1 3/4 cups polenta
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 zuchinni, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp pepper
salt
5 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled or chopped up
1 1/2 cups grated pecorino romano
torn pieces of fresh basil

Bring 6 cups water to a boil. Add salt and polenta. Cook until thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in butter.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large, oven-proof skillet. Add zucchini until beginning to soften up. Add tomatoes and let simmer until veggies are tender and juices are thickened. Add garlic and sautee until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add bacon crumbles and polenta. Stir until all veggies are mixed in thoruoughly. Top with grated cheese.
Bake 350 (I did 300 in convection oven) for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browning.
Top with fresh basil. Serve hot. Enjoy.

thai chicken noodle soup

Remember when I used to post recipes?
Like, all the time?

Lately, it is not for lack of recipes that I don't post them. I am constantly scribbling notes and amounts of ingredients on scraps of paper in my kitchen, only to crumple them up and throw them away later. I just never seem to have time to take pictures (huge pet-peeve: recipes with no pictures).

The few moments before a meal are always the craziest at our house. I am scrambling to plate everyone's meals, find a sippy cup, lovingly call to yell at Lane to come to the table, cut up one of the meals into bite-size pieces, keep from tripping over James, and calm the baby who always seems to be ready to eat right when we are. Needless to say, not the best time for a photo shoot.
Friday night, however, I made this soup.

It was so good that it had to be documented and shared with you. (Also, the kids overlapped their naps for about forty minutes, and instead of scrubbing toilets and folding laundry like I should have been doing, I photographed lemongrass stalks. And made granola, so that's productive, right?) This soup is the perfect alternative to plain old chicken noodle, and it will clear your sinuses if you use enough curry paste. It almost makes me excited to still have soup weather. Almost.

Recipe Note: Do yourself a favor and order some Mae Ploy curry paste from Thailand. It won't disappoint.

Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
1 or 2 chicken breasts
2 tsp sesame oil
2 stalks lemongrass
2 large cloves garlic
32 oz chicken broth
4 cups water
1/2 cup coconut milk (go full-fat)
large handful of lime leaves
2 tsp green curry paste (I would use more, but we have an eater who doesn't "yike ficy"- like spicy)
1 very large bundle of bok choy, chopped
4 to 8 oz (depending on how much you like noodles) thin udon noodles
lime wedges (for serving)
torn basil leaves (for topping)

Heat a large stock pot to medium heat. add chicken breast and drizzle sesame oil over it.
Remove husk from lemongrass stalks. Cut the inner, bottom part (about the bottom third of the stalk) into fourths lengthwise and throw into the pot with the chicken. Cut garlic lengthwise and crush with flat side of your knife. Throw into the pot as well.
When chicken, lemongrass pieces, and garlic are all beginning to brown, add broth, water, coconut milk and lime leaves. Whisk in curry paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is done all the way through (165 degrees). Shred chicken.
Return to a boil. Add bok choy and noodles. Cook about 6 minutes, or until noodles are done and bok choy is tender, but not mushy. Discard lemon grass pieces and as many lime leaves as you can.
Top with basil and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy.

Coming up: kid yoga, "fashion" questions, and more house tour (hopefully)

roasted brussels sprouts and bacon pizza

Saturday night was my first time in our hot tub. Ever.
We moved here in June when my pregnancy was already in full-swing. I had Eleanor in November, and no one has time to go hot-tubing when they have a newborn. Around the first of the year if the opportunity arose I would weighed my options: hot tub or sleep? Guess what won. But my amazing husband said to me Saturday "Why don't you go in the hot tub tonight? I'll hold the baby." (Que music: "What a man, what a man, what a mighty fine man...")
So, I waited until James was asleep and the baby was fed and it was dark enough that no neighbor would catch a glimpse of me in my bikini, and I did it.
It was indescribably blissful. The stars were out. Frogs croaking all around (Have I mentioned the frogs around here yet? Loud!). It was so incredibly peaceful.

Rewind to about eleven months ago. I was so annoyed that this house had a hot tub. It was a waste of water, of energy, of money, of time. I suggested that the sellers take it with them. They didn't. I suggested we drain it and fill it with cold water for a kids' pool in the summer and then leave it empty in the winter. We didn't. I complained every time Lane went out to check the tub and balance the ba-jillion chemicals. I rolled my eyes each time we got a package in the mail containing said chemicals. I was not happy about the tub.
Guess what I was thinking Saturday night? "Why haven't we always had a hot tub? Why am I not in the hot tub every night? Why can't I live in a hot tub?"

I wish I were the hot-tub loving type of person from the beginning. Why can't I just appreciate luxury and comfort and enjoyment for enjoyments' sake? (Yes, I recognize the irony of this statement when considering the title of my blog.) I am agenda -driven. Everything has to serve a functional purpose in my opinion, or its not worth the energy, the time, the money.
I wish I could be less practical. More okay with the hot tub, the expensive exotic ingredient, the cute dress that I have no current occasion for, the seven thirty dinner time because I started the dish too late but just had to have it.
Maybe this should be my late New Year's resolution. I'll start with loving the hot tub. And the seven thirty dinner time... because I had to have this pizza.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pizza
warning: not a very amount-specific recipe

1/2 lb brussels sprouts, cut into fourths lengthwise
olive oil
salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 sweet onion, cut up length-wise into
1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
5 cloves garlic, minced or pushed through a garlic press
5 slices bacon
1 1/2 lb pizza dough
shredded mozzarella
shredded parmesan

Toss sprouts in a little olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast brussels sprouts at 425 for about 12 minutes (until just beginning to brown).

Carmalize onions. Heat a couple tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and brown sugar if you want a little added sweetness. Sprinkle with a little salt. Cook about a half hour, until translucent. Remove onions and set aside. Without wiping pan, cook bacon until crispy. Cool and crumble it.

Roll out dough. Combine garlic, 2 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Spread evenly all over the dough. Sprinkle with a good amount of mozzarella. Spread sprouts, onions, and crumbled bacon over the pizza and top with parmesan.

Bake 12-15 minutes at 425, or until crust is done in the middle and cheese is beginning to brown in some spots. Serve hot. Enjoy.

Serving suggestion: crisp salad with balsamic vinaigrette

(This photo taken by Lane.)

This time, a year ago. Still makes me laugh that I wrote that silly post.
PS Thank you for all your sweet comments about my being back in action.

one year + 100th post + Hawaiian meatballs

Today is the one year birthday of my little blog. Were I not so tired, I would do some sort of review of the
last year of blog posts, perhaps highlighting my favorites and not-so-favorites.

It is also the 100th post. Only because I am a little OCD about stuff like that, so when I realized it could be the first birthday and post number 100, I had to do it.

Also, my mom came over today and we made one of Lane's favorite dishes: Hawaiian meatballs. Since all I want right now is to crawl into bed with a big bowl of life for dessert, I will just say this about the meatballs: sweet, salty, good.

Oh, and this about my mom: fun, good cook, I love her.

This time last year: Fruit Salad (kind of a lame post, actually, especially to begin a blog with) and Brie, Mango, Cilantro, and Red Onion Quesadillas

Hawaiian meatballs
adapted from Joy of Cooking

for the meatballs:
1 lb ground meat (we used chicken breast, other meats will contain more oil)
1 slice bread, crumbled
1/4 tsp yellow mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced ginger
1/4 c soisin sauce (1/2 soy sauce, 1/2 hoisin sauce)
1/3 c pineapple, chopped
1/4 of a green bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp lime juice
vegetable oil

for the salsa:
2 c pineapple, chopped
3/4 of a green bell pepper, chopped
handful of cilantro
green part of 1 green onion, sliced

for serving:
4 cups cooked Basmati rice
more soisin sauce (see above)


Combine the meatball ingredients and form into about 16 equal-sized balls. Heat a couple tbsps of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and add as many meatballs as will fit without them touching one another. Allow the meatballs to brown on all sides, repeating with as many batches as nessesacry. Then place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads at least 165 degrees.

Combine all the ingredients for the salsa in a medium bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve the meatballs with the salsa, rice, and soisin sauce. Enjoy.

lentil wraps with tahini sauce in homemade pitas

I am a little disappointed in myself for completely ignoring the holiday last weekend which would have given me every excuse to get my Latina blood flowing and create some sort of Central American themed delights. Instead, we spent the weekend running around like chickens with our heads cut off.

First of all, I worked two shifts at my favorite coffee shop. After the shift Saturday (which began at 5:30, mind you) we headed over to my cousins for a Cinco de Mayo/ birthday/ house warming. On Sunday we were supposed to attend another house warming after I was off work, but found out that a potential renter was going to come see our house, so we frantically scrubbed, then ran to the park right in time for them to show up. (Luckily, they liked the place, so our landlords will not have a house sitting vacant for long. On the other hand, maybe this means we should start packing?)

On our way to the multi-themed party we swung by Trader Joe's to buy some flowers, and a snack. The snack was a wrap similar to this one, but I was sure I could make it better at home. Not to brag, but I was right.

Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce in Homemade Pitas

for the lentil mixture:
1 1/2 cup cooked lentils
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 cup parsley

for the tahini sauce:
1/4 c sesame seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 c parsley
1 tbsp lemon juice
large sprinkle salt
pinch red pepper flakes
sprinkle cumin

Combine all the lentil mixture ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Do the same with the tahini sauce ingredients. I was not able to make the tahini sauce a smooth mixture; adding liquid seemed to help, I would like to know the secret to this if anyone has better luck.

for the homemade pitas:
adapted from Bread Machine Magic
1 1/8 cups water
2 c all-purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1  1/2 tsp sugar
1  1/2 tsp Red Star active dry yeast for bread machines

Combine ingredients in bread machine*, and select "dough" setting. (Or if you have a machine like mine, set it so that only the first two cycles, knead and first rise, are accomplished.).

Once it is done, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a thick log. Cut the log into two even pieces, and continue to divide pieces until you have eight similar sized pieces. Using your hands, roll these into balls. Then, using a rolling pin, roll into discs about 6 inches in diameter. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise while you preheat the oven to 500 degrees (about 20 minutes).

When the oven is ready, bake the pitas on a non-stick or slightly floured baking sheet, four at a time, for about 5 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, place them on a plate and cover with a damp towel so that they soften, about ten minutes.

*If you don't have a bread machine, these look pretty darn good also.

Toppings for the wraps:
shredded cabbage
thinly sliced bell pepper
thinly sliced red onion
spinach (I didn't try this, but I think it would also be good)
lemon wedges

Assemble your wraps: Cut open each pita half way and layer lentil mixture, tahini sauce, cabbage, bell peppers, red onion, any leftover parsley, or whatever else sounds good. Serve with lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy.

lentil, quinoa, cauliflower garden burgers

The search for a good garden burger is not an easy one. There are the weird ones that are made to taste like meat, completely abolishing the point of eating a vegetarian hamburger. Then there are the ones that seem to be made of all sorts of grains: oats, bread crumbs, barley, etc. While I am certainly not opposed to carbs, it seems to be overkill to place a patty of oats on a bun made of grains. 

I wanted to come up with a recipe that contained protein and vegetables. So I grabbed a bunch of odds and ends from the pantry...

...added some sauteed veggies...

...mixed them all together...

 ...formed them into patties, cooked them up...

 ... added all sorts of toppings, and ate them.

Lentil, Quinoa, Cauliflower Garden Burgers

2 tbsp olive oil
1 heaping cup of chopped leeks
3 c cauliflower florets
sprinkle of salt and pepper
1 1/2 c lentils, cooked (about 3/4 cook lentils uncooked)
1 c quinoa
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire
sprinkle hot sauce
1 humongous clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 egg + 1 egg white

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add leeks. As they begin to brown, add cauliflower. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Cook until cauliflower is slightly browned and tender. Put into a blender or food processor and pule until chopped finely (or chop finely).

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil, add quinoa. Reduce to simmer and cover. Allow quinoa to absorb water and fluff with a fork.

In a large bowl combine 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and next six ingredients (through olive oil). Whisk well. Add in cooked lentils, quinoa, sunflower seeds, and chopped cauliflower/leek mixture. Beat in egg and egg white with a fork.

Heat a large pan over medium heat and brush lightly with olive oil. Form the mixture into patties a few inches across and about 1/2 inch thick. Allow patties to cook well (the patties should no longer stick to the pan when cooked), then flip and allow to brown on the other side. Serve on a good bun with all the fixin's. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I can't lead you to believe that these patties stuck together well. You really have to pack them together tightly, and be extremely careful when flipping. Also, do not use too much oil when cooking and do not let the heat get too high or low. Aside from all that, they are easy to make, really!

springy panzanella

Spring always seems to bring surprises: a surprisingly warm day, a shockingly blue sky, a sudden and unexpected torrential downpour. Or, the unforeseen dilemma of your over-sized child who is not even two learning to climb out of his crib. Repeatedly. Until about midnight. 

Which resulted in the dreaded switch: crib to big boy bed.

We made a family Ikea trip on Saturday afternoon, which was uncharacteristically empty due to the beautiful weather. When we got home James and I headed to the park while Lane assembled the Gulliver, Vyssa, and Smila (love those Swedish names).

By the time we returned from our park trip, Lane had disassembled baby crib and put the big boy bed together. It was late and we were hungry.

Luckily, this panzanella was super easy to throw together. When we finally got around to eating it, however, it was after eight and dark outside, so the pictures are not so great. But trust me on the taste: springy, flavorful, and satisfying.

Springy Panzanella

For the vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp good dijon mustard (I use Annie's organic)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

For the salad:
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 thinly sliced radishes
1 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed and steamed until barely tender, but still very crisp
1 cup chopped artichoke hearts
1/2 cup olives (I used black, Kalamata would also be delish)

For the croutons:
4 cups leftover artisan bread, cut into bite sized cubes
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3 smashed garlic cloves
sprinkle of salt
1/4 cup shredded asiago cheese

Combine vinaigrette ingredients, whisking well. Mix in the radishes and red onions so that they are submerged in the vinaigrette. Allow to sit for an hour or so.

Take one smashed garlic clove and smear it over a baking sheet. Discard the clove.
To make the croutons, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add two of the smashed garlic cloves and cook until fragrant. Add the bread cubes and 2 tbsp olive oil. Toss to coat the bread. Sprinkle with a little salt. Discard the garlic cloves and spread bread cubes over prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with asiago cheese. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes (this a complete guess, I forgot to write down the baking time and temp!), or until cheese is melted and bread cubes are browned. Allow to cool before adding to salad.

Combine the steamed asparagus, olives, and artichoke hearts in a large bowl. Add vinaigrette and pickled onions and radishes. Toss well. Add bread cubes just before serving and toss again. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Enjoy.

pesto, provolone, and sun dried tomato paninis

Yum.

I don't really feel like this need a recipe. You basically put pesto, provolone cheese, and sun dried tomatoes in between two thick slices of artisan bread, and then cook them by smooshing the bread in between two hot, flat surfaces swiped with a little olive oil. If you would like more precise panini making directions, you can look here and here. After which you will realize that I apparently cannot make a panini that doesn't include provolone. Enjoy.

chipotle scalloped sweet potatoes with black beans

Dinner originally began as some chicken enchilada casserole.

I cooked and shredded the chicken. I gathered all my ingredients and read over the recipe again. And I had absolutely no desire to make it.

In my opinion, if cooking is your passion and you attempt to make a recipe that your heart just isn't into, that dish is going to taste awful. Well, maybe not awful, but certainly not amazing.

I decided I didn't want meat, and especially not meat covered with bottled salsa and cheese. But I did want spice. And veggies. This dish from Thanksgiving popped into my head, and I attempted to recreate it.

I took away the heavy cream that I remember being used in the recipe and replaced it with sour cream and milk. I also added beans for some protein so it could be a complete meal. (Although my husband still deemed it "more of a side dish." Large eye roll from me there.)

It actually turned out to be really easy, and very satisfying, with just enough heat and creaminess. The pictures, however, are not as pretty as I had imagined because someone wanted to be in all of them and was hamming it up in the background.

Chipotle Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans

2 lb sweet potatoes, sliced very thinly (I highly recommend using the slicing blade on your food processor; it only took me about 20 minutes to figure out, and I only cut one finger...)
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2/3 cup milk
3 canned chipotle chilies (I think the ones I used were canned in adobe sauce)
large pinch salt
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies (get the medium to hot ones, otherwise its almost pointless)
1 (14 oz) can black beans

Place sour cream, milk, chipotle chilies, and salt in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl and mix in green chilies and black beans.

Cover the bottom of a casserole dish (mine is about 10" by 7") with a single layer of the sliced sweet potatoes. Top evenly with a thin layer of the sour cream mixture. Repeat layers until the dish is full, ending with a top layer of the sour cream mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for 45-60 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are very soft and the liquid is bubbly (I ended up covering the dish in foil for about the last 15 minutes to increase cooking speed). Enjoy.

sweet and salty tempeh fajitas

I am not sure if I have ever confessed to you that I am a picky eater. But, it's true. I am extremely picky. There are many things I dislike. Among them: mayonnaise, cucumbers, and meat. Honestly, I can't really stand the taste of meat. I also despise preparing it. I would surely be a vegetarian if it were not for my wonderful husband, who doesn't consider a meal actually a meal unless it contains a component that once had a face.

I do, however, very much enjoy meat substitutes. Especially tempeh. The grainy texture is much better than tofu, and it takes on whatever flavors you marinate and cook it in.

If you have never prepared or eaten tempeh before, this is a great recipe to start with. It is sweet and salty (obviously, hence the name), easy, and quite satisfying.

Sweet and salty tempeh fajitas
adapted from this recipe

1 cup diced pineapple
2 limes
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
freshly ground pepper and salt
8 oz multigrain tempeh, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 bell pepper, cut into strips
1 white onion, cut into slices the long way
1 bunch green onions, chopped
about 1 cup broth
cilantro
whole wheat tortillas

Place pineapple, juice of one lime, soy sauce, and cumin in a food processor and puree. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour pineapple mixture over tempeh strips and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add one tbsp of olive oil, then place bell pepper, onion, and tempeh in the pan, reserving marinade. Cook, and cook, and cook, stirring occasionally. Add the other tbsp of olive oil, then the broth little by little as the mixture cooks and the moisture is used up. Sprinkle in green onions and add the reserved marinade just before done.
Once the tempeh is browned and the veggies are tender, take off the heat. Warm tortillas. Place tempeh mixture into a tortilla, sprinkle with cilantro, and fold up. Serve with lime slices. Enjoy.